I let go of the diet, I let go of the working out, I let go of everything for a few days. And I jammed out.

For the fourth year in a row, my younger sister, our childhood friend and I went to a giant music festival known as Lollapalooza (go on, say it out loud, you know you want to!). It takes place in downtown Chicago for the entire weekend, and it’s become a tradition of ours. We come from our different corners of the world (okay–just Wisconsin, Pennsylvania & Ohio) and converge in the windy city for a literal whirlwind of music, food, laughs (and yes, beer!) all weekend long.

Although I’ve been watching what I eat, this year I decided my time at Lolla would be no different than years past. I didn’t want to attempt to count the calories in the festival food (did I really want to know?) nor in the several (plus some) beers that I consumed. As one of my wonderful commenters, sweetreislingplease, has told me a few times, it’s important to let go and enjoy the time you have with those around you—despite a diet or workout plan. So I drank my tall boy beers and ate my cheeseburger without feeling guilty, and I figured that walking around literally ALL day and dancing in big crowds to good music, all while sweating my butt off, constituted as exercise.

And, you know what? It was a glorious time. And I don’t even regret that ice cream cone that made me feel sick to my stomach after jumping around at Saturday night’s headliner show. No regrets because I had a blast. I didn’t worry about anything while I was there besides what band I would see next or where the nearest beer tent was or how not to step on the person’s foot next to me as I danced like a loon.

Last weekend reminded me that it’s important to just LET GO and live a little.

But, let’s not forget all that fabulous music I heard! What a way to relive the festival as I got my butt back into gear with a long bike ride on Monday night. Nothing helps a workout more than good music and now, I have plenty more of it now. So, why not share with you a selection of songs from my current running playlist…because everyone loves good music, right?

sweetreislingpleasesays:

Happy to hear you threw caution to the wind Amanda! Excellent! C’mon C’mon – The Von Bondies! Theme from Denis Leary’s FX show Rescue Me. No better jumping around, sweating, let-your-hair-down tune than that! I’m sure you worked off that ice cream and beer (and beer and beer and beer).